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Saints, Brees freeze Eagles out of the NFL playoffs

New Orleans kicks winning field goal as time expires on Chip Kelly's inaugural season

By Zach Berman

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Updated:
01/05/2014 01:39:30 AM EST

New Orleans Saints' Shayne Graham (3) kicks the game-winning field goal during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, in Philadelphia. New Orleans won 26-24. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

PHILADELPHIA >> There was nothing left for the Eagles to do at the end of the game but hope that the Saints missed a field goal. A memorable late-season surge into the postseason gave the Eagles a home playoff game, but there was nothing in Chip Kelly's high-powered offense or innovative sports science program that could alter the trajectory of a 32-yard field goal.

Shayne Graham's 32-yard kick sailed through the uprights at 11:20 p.m. EST, sealing the Saints' 26-24 win over the Eagles as time expired in the wild-card round of the playoffs on Saturday night. There would be no trip to Carolina next weekend, and no more football until next season.

A vocal faction of the sold-out Lincoln Financial Field stood by their seats after the kick went through the uprights and applauded the Eagles as they left the field. Kelly's inaugural season included a six-game turnaround from one year earlier and left the franchise in a promising position.

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The winning field goal was set up when the special teams failed the Eagles. Darren Sproles returned the ball 39 yards before Cary Williams dragged him down by the horse collar at the 37-yard line.

Add on another 15 yards, and the Saints had the ball at the Eagles' 48-yard line needing only a field goal to win. The Eagles could not stop the Saints' rushing game. They brought the ball all the way to the Eagles' 14-yard line, converting two third downs along the way. All the Eagles had left was the hope that the field goal would go awry.

It instead sailed through the uprights.

The Eagles had finally taken the lead on the previous possession. After gaining 34 yards on six plays, Nick Foles looked for DeSean Jackson deep down the left sideline. Foles threw the pass short of Jackson, who beat his man downfield but was able to draw the pass interference. Two plays later, Foles hit Zach Ertz for a three-yard touchdown. The extra point gave the Eagles a 24-23 lead with nearly five minutes remaining.

But they never had the ball again as New Orleans drove for the winning field goal.

There were so many plays the Eagles might regret this offseason. Foles took a sack that knocked the Eagles out of field goal range in the first half. A long kickoff return and crucial horse-collar tackle put the Saints in favorable field position for their final field goal.

Foles finished 23 of 33 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. LeSean McCoy rushed for 77 yards and a score. The defense intercepted Drew Brees twice, overshadowing Brees' 250 yards. The bright spot of the Saints' offense was their rushing game.

The first quarter ended without scoring. The Eagles deferred the ball to the second half, and the Saints were forced to punt on their opening drive after a false start with their offense on the field on fourth-and-2.

The Eagles opened their first offensive drive with a noticeably quick tempo, but it could not produce more than 22 yards. The teams traded three-and-outs, and the first big play came when Bradley Fletcher camped under a deep pass to Kenny Stills and intercepted it at the Eagles' 3-yard line. Fletcher returned the interception 24 yards.

One of Kelly's key statistics is response off turnovers. The Eagles had zero points to show off Fletcher's turnover, though, and Foles was a big reason. After McCoy's 8-yard run on fourth-and-1 brought the ball to the Saints' 15-yard line, the Eagles were at least in comfortable field goal range. But a short pass to Brent Celek lost eight yards, and then Foles lost another 11 yards when he took a sack despite nearly seven seconds in the pocket. Alex Henery missed a 48-yard field goal, leaving the game scoreless.

The Saints drove 43 yards for a field goal on the ensuing drive, although it came with suspense. DeMeco Ryans stripped Jimmy Graham on a third-down reception at the Eagles' 15-yard line, but the call was overturned. A false start nullified a fourth-down conversion, forcing the Saints to settle for a 36-yard field goal.

Another three-and-out did not reflect well on the Eagles' lackluster offense. The defense continued to do its part when Ryans intercepted Brees at the Eagles' 33-yard line and returned it 23 yards to the Saints' 44-yard line.

This time, the offense responded with points off the turnover. After a potential touchdown catch went through Ertz's hands, Foles connected with Riley Cooper for a 10-yard score to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead.

The Saints drove downfield for a field goal as the clock expired to enter halftime with a 7-6 deficit. Trent Cole sacked Brees on third down with 29 seconds remaining to limit New Orleans to three points.

The momentum shifted in the third quarter when the Eagles opened with consecutive three-and-outs. The Saints responded to both drives with touchdowns. The first score was a 24-yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore, completing a six-play drive that included four rushes. The Saints rushed on five of eight plays on the next drive, including Mark Ingram's four-yard score.

Trailing by 13 points and slackened by a lackluster offense, the Eagles needed a big play to get back into the game. They led the NFL with 99 plays of 20-plus plays this season, but could not find them for much of Saturday.

Then Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis injured his head while hitting Jason Avant. Lewis had kept Jackson without a catch all game. On the first play after Lewis' injury, Jackson made a 40-yard catch down the right sideline to set up first-and-goal at the Saints' 9-yard line. Four plays later, McCoy rushed for a one-yard score to cut New Orleans' lead to 20-14.

After the Eagles forced a punt, Jackson returned a punt 29 yards to the Saints' 40-yard line. The Eagles could march only 28 yards before the Saints held them to a fourth down that required a long one yard. Kelly didn't go for this one, instead sending his field goal unit onto the field. Henery's 31-yard field goal cut the Saints lead to 20-17.

All season long, the Eagles have lived off of a bend-but-don't break defense. After a 40-yard pass brought the Saints offense to the Eagles' 23-yard line. The defense did not allow another first down on the drive, and New Orleans was held to a 35-yard field goal to take a six-point lead.

A Philadelphia Eagles fan, left, sits in the stands as New Orleans Saints fans cheer after the Saints won an NFL wild-card playoff football game, 26-24, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)